<p>Does applying for financial aid really affect my admission to colleges?</p>
<p>and... suppose it does affect my admission..
should i apply for financial aid but show them i can meet the amount of tuition and board (cuz i heard that once you get in you can bargain with the colleges to get some financial help) or should i just not apply at all(in this case, i guess..i won't be able to bargain with them)?</p>
<p>BTW.. im applying to Brown, JHU, Cornell, UPenn, Columbia and Dartmouth
ooh.. and my parents can only afford $30,000. maybe $40,000 (most likely not tho..heh..)</p>
<p>I really don't know about the others, but as of approximately one week now, admissions for internationals is needblind at Dartmouth, so no, needing aid does not affect your admission there. </p>
<p>The majority, if not all, of the other schools on your list will meet 100% of what they calculate as your need if you are accepted. (Don't rely on being able to bargain for aid once you get to a school.)</p>
<p>-- unless the school specifically states that they are need blind for INTERNATIONAL student admission, then the answer is yes, applying for aid will effect your chances of admission</p>
<p>-- if you cannot attend without financial aid, then you have to apply for it. when you apply, you complete quite a bit of paperwork. That paperwork will give the financial aid officers an excellent understanding of your families finances (including income and assets). They will determine what your parents can pay -- so you don't need to "show them anything" other than complete the required paperwork.</p>
<p>-- unless you have some unique extenuating circumstance, you will not be able to bargain with financial aid once you are given a decision. As far as I know, they rarely bargain with international students.</p>
<p>I think of all the scores you have listed, only Dartmouth is need blind to international students (and this just recently happened). So your ability to pay will be a factor in the admissions process. Also at many of the schools you have listed, if you do not apply for FA as an incoming student, you will not be eligible for aid at a later date.</p>
<p>I agree with Stef that if there is a remote possiblity that you will need aid over the course of 4 years then you need to apply for it.</p>
<p>so.. if i apply for FA and filll out the form saying that i can meet the amount of money for tuition and room and board by loaning $40,000 would they consider it as applying for FA or no?</p>